Report: United Women 2 Everton 0

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Sunday 30 March 2025 14:28

Manchester United Women took another big step towards UEFA Champions League qualification on Sunday afternoon, with a 2-0 victory at home to Everton in the Barclays Women’s Super League.

Dominique Janssen opened the scoring midway through the first half at Leigh Sports Village, before Grace Clinton completed it less than two minutes after the break, when she doubled our advantage against her former club.

The result means Marc Skinner’s team now only need a minimum of two wins from our final four games of the league campaign to secure a return to European football’s premier club competition for next season.

Toni Payne, closing down Janssen here, had one of Everton’s threatening early chances.

FIRST HALF – UNITED GRATEFUL FOR OPENER

The visitors made the brighter start in the spring sunshine at LSV and had the ball in the net inside the opening three minutes, but Katja Snoeijs was ruled to have handled Martina Fernandez’s initial goalbound attempt before putting the finishing touch on a corner from the right.

Referee Phoebe Cross’s raised arm spoiled the celebrations of those that had travelled over from Merseyside to support their team, assembled at the other end of the ground, although they must have been growing in belief at seeing a first WSL win at United when in-form forward Toni Payne forced Phallon Tullis-Joyce into a low save just moments later.

Reds centre-back Millie Turner had started every game so far this season, while full-back Gabby George had been our last 15 WSL starting XIs, so their absences due to a slight strain picked up last weekend and a one-match suspension were bound to take some getting used to – which Marc Skinner’s side soon did.

A low strike from Elisabeth Terland was comfortable for Everton goalkeeper Courtney Brosnan, but an encouraging attack for United, who were beginning to wrestle the momentum in our favour as the contest passed the 15-minute mark.

A series of stoppages helped – including one for an injury to Jayde Riviere, which our Canadian full-back was thankfully okay to continue after – before the Reds pounced on a mistake to take the lead just before the midway point in the half.

Ella Toone’s free-kick from the left was fumbled by Brosnan and fell at the feet of Janssen, who gratefully powered the ball home from close range to put us ahead with her second goal for the club, having opened her account against Everton’s Merseyside rivals Liverpool back in December.

That goal put Skinner’s team in the driving seat, and from then on we looked the more likely side to add to the scoreline before half-time. Brosnan sprawled out at the feet of Terland to stop our top scorer prodding home her 12th goal of the campaign before impressively getting down to her left to keep out a goalbound volley from Celin Bizet, inside six minutes of added time.

The lengthy added period allowed for just enough time for United to go even closer before the whistle too, when captain Maya Le Tissier saw her rasping 25-yard attempt crash behind off the top of the crossbar – a sure-fire Goal-of-the-Season contender had it been a few inches lower.

Dom’s goal gave us a narrow first-half advantage.

SECOND HALF – EARLY GOAL EXERTS CONTROL

A slower start, admittedly, by the standards of Skinner’s side this season wasn’t to be repeated after the break. The Reds were straight onto the front foot through the driving Leah Galton, whose inviting cutback from the left flank was swung at and missed by Terland in the centre.

It was a sign of United’s second-half intentions and a chance that the latter wouldn’t prove to rue, as United made it 2-0 with our next attack. Galton was the instigator again, finding a yard of space to fire the ball across the face of the goal, where former Everton midfielder Clinton was on hand to turn it home from close range.

The scoreline was now the same as it finished when teams last met, in November’s League Cup tie, a game which Hayley Ladd started in our midfield. The Wales international has since made the switch between the clubs, joining Everton in January after 110 appearances for the Reds, and her long-serving career in Manchester was appreciated with an ovation around the ground as she was substituted by the visitors in the 54th minute.

Having got on the scoresheet, Ladd’s former midfield counterpart, Clinton, now had her eye in on goal but couldn’t quite keep her next attempt down from close range, scything a shot over after being found on the right side of the 18-yard area by Toone.

Clinton celebrates scoring against Everton for the second time this season – our no.8 netted the only goal in the WSL reverse fixture.

That proved to be our no.8’s last meaningful action before being withdrawn as part of a double change with just over 15 minutes left to go, which saw Lisa Naalsund introduced for her first appearance since 3 November, following a long-term injury.

The closing stages may have lacked the intensity seen earlier in the contest, but the midfielder was full of running and energy, adding impetus to United’s search for a third goal that would have seemingly put the game beyond doubt.

It wasn’t needed though and, soon after Brosnan showed sharp reactions to keep out a first-time effort from Melvine Malard, the final whistle was sounded to confirm a 12th clean sheet and 13th win of the WSL term for the Reds, who take another big step towards UEFA Women’s Champions League football for next season.

The result ensured Skinner’s team opened up a 10-point gap to fourth-placed Man City, the highest-ranked team outside of the European spots, as their game against Brighton kicked off on the south coast.

Yes, Reds! That’s nine wins in our last 10 WSL games, going into the April international break.

MATCH DETAILS

United: Tullis-Joyce; Riviere (Mannion 88), Le Tissier (c), Janssen, Sandberg; Clinton (Naalsund 74), Miyazawa; Bizet (Malard 55), Toone, Galton (Awujo 73); Terland (Williams 88).

Unused subs: Middleton-Patel, Rendell.

Bookings: Le Tissier, Sandberg.

Goals: Janssen 22, Clinton 47.

Everton: Brosnan; H. Payne (Stenevik 54), Mjelde, Fernandez, S. Holmgaard; Snoeijs (Sarri 78), Ladd (K. Holmgaard 54), Wheeler (Olesen 65), Vanhaevermaet; T. Payne (Lawley 65), Gago.

Unused subs: Ramsey, Hope, Hayashi, Madsen.

Bookings: H.Payne.

Attendance: 3,856.

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Sunday 30 March 2025 14:28